1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle cowl structure with vent pipe. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle cowl structure having a cowl panel with a vent pipe that includes an upper passageway for introducing air into the cowl panel and a lower passageway for draining water from the cowl panel.
2. Background Information
Generally, a vehicle includes a cowl structure that is disposed in an area between a front windshield and a fire wall of an engine room to divide the engine room and an interior part of the vehicle. The cowl usually comprises a cowl panel and a cowl louver provided on the cowl panel to cover an upward opening of the cowl panel. The cowl louver is provided with air inlets so that an outside air is drawn to the cowl. The air drawn to the cowl is used for the air conditioning and/or directly sent to the vehicle interior through a duct coupling the cowl and the vehicle interior. Since the air inlets of the cowl louver are usually open to the air and let rainwater as well as the outside air into the cowl panel, the cowl structure usually provides a water drainage system in the cowl structure to drain the water introduced to the cowl structure.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,703 discloses a cowl structure in which a cowl panel includes a drain hole that is provided in the lowest position of the horizontal base of the cowl panel. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,144 discloses a cowl panel having a dam portion provided at a front end of the cowl panel to guide the water toward a recess formed in the side portion of the cowl panel. The recess has an opening that is open to inside portion of a hood ledge. The water led to the recess drops from the opening into the inside of the hood ledge and drained from drain openings provided with the hood ledge.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved vehicle cowl structure that introduces air into the cowl structure without interfering with draining water from the cowl structure. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.